Oregon football played to an important win against the Michigan Wolverines at the Big House on Saturday. Early in the first quarter, though, star wideout Tez Johnson went down with an apparent shoulder injury. He went to the tent, then to the locker room and did not return.
The Ducks saw Traeshon Holden step up and have a big afternoon in a win.
On Sunday, Johnson posted a message on his Instagram with a black and white image of him on the ground, following the injury with a broken heart emoji.
Posted to Tez Johnson’s IG Story Sunday morning. pic.twitter.com/PJ23BlM7ja
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) November 3, 2024
While speculation is either a broken clavicle or a simple dislocation, we will have to wait to see if the Ducks provide any additional details. I do know that this team has prepared for this unfortunate moment. They have depth.
Holden made a mistake against Ohio State, he was suspended against Purdue and came back to play a huge role on the road in a hostile environment at Michigan for an Oregon 38-17 win. He had six catches in the game for 149 yards leading the team in the category in Johnson's absence.
Oregon also has Evan Stewart who has had flashes of absolute brilliance this season. There were several plays on display Saturday. Stewart had the Ducks first touchdown catch early in the game in the corner of the endzone. There was also a catch later that was called back for a penalty. It was a pass from Dillon Gabriel that Stewart had to go up for. He came down in the back of the endzone with the ball in his hands.
Oregon football has winnable games for the rest of the regular season. The Ducks host Maryland before travelling to Wisconsin and then finish out the regular season hosting Washington at Autzen Stadium. I never like to see injuries in college football, especially ones that can impact a team.
The Ducks host the Maryland Terrapins for the first time on Saturday, Nov. 9. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. PT on the Big Ten Network.